Storage structure



W.T.KRAUSCH STORAGE STRUCTURE. 4 APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29,1918.

Paund Oct 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

w III III W. T. KHAUSCH.

STORAGE STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED III/IR. 29, I9I8.

Patenmd 00h 19, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

iJNiTen STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER T. kKRAUSGI-I, OF LA GRANGE, ILLINOIS.

STORAGE STRUCTURE.

Application ined March 29, 1918. Serial No. 225,414.

' 1o all whom t may concern:

f Be it known that l, lVALrnn T. Knr-inscri,

- a citizen of the United States, and a resident ont La Grange, in the county of Cook and State oi illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Storage Structures, or" which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of my specification.

My invention relates more particularly to coaling stations oit, the type quite generally employed by railroad systems at various points, which enable thelocomotive tender to be readily charged or supplied with fuel or coal; the invention relating more especially tothe construction of the coal hopper or storage compartment, namely the chamber or bin or the station wherein a considerable quantity ot coal is temporarily stored, and from which the coal is delivered into the locomotive tender.

The invention is also adaptable to stations or structures where sand, ashes and other similar material is to be stored, which necessitates the provision of bins or chambers, the

Y walls whereof are subjected to excessive wear or usage as the result of the character and handling of the temporarily stored material;

the walls heretofore having been constructed of wood with sheet metal lining, or entirely of metal, and therefore at great initial cost.

The object of my invention is to provide a construction which will eliminate the difficulties and losses that are constantly encountered by the various railroad systems with the present day type of coaling station, and especially in regions or localities where the class of fuel or coal obtainable is of such a combustible nature that its storage for a comparatively short period of time in a chamber or hopper vfrequently resultsI in fires due to spontaneous'combustion. It has been found in practice, that certain types of coal, as for example lignite, have caused considerable loss through fire, by reason of the highly volatile character of the coal. n

In order to overcome, or rather to somewhat eliminate, the loss that have been encountered by railroad systems, as a Vresult of fires originating as above mentioned, resort has been made to the use of sheet metal as a lining for the hoppers or bins in order to reduce, as much as possible, the difliculty referred to. y

Such practice, however, is not only ex.-

tremely expensive, due to the high cost of the sheet metal, but also necessitates care being exercised in the provision oi proper joints or suitable overlapping connections between the various metal sheets, to obviate the possibility oi the studding or wooden framework oii the station becoming ignited. As is readily apparent, such practice, aside V'from the cost or the steel sheeting, is also very 'expensive in installation by reason of the time and labor involved, which is not only required in the initial installation of i the metallic lining, but also in the repeated renewal thereof, due to wear caused bythe constant shifting or movement of the coal supply, or other material, in its passage through the' hopper, from the loading or lilling chute to the outlet or discharging chute.

The object of my invention is to construct the storage bins or chambers of a coaling station, or storage structure, of a plurality of structural yunits consisting of reinforced concrete planks or slabs of such formation and nature as will enable their being easily handled and quickly put into place and secured to the studding or other structural members so as to constitute the walls of the bins or hoppers, adapted to not only withstand the wear and strains, but which will also not be affected by heat, because of the non-inflammable nature or the structural n units which constitute the inner walls of the bins or chambers.

The further object of my invention is to provide structural units in the nature of reinforced concrete slabs or planks, for constructing the storage bins or chambers; the structural units being previously molded into transportable planks or slabs of suitable dimensions which are adapted for use in connection with the usual wooden uprights or posts and structural or supporting frame elements also usuallyformed of wood; the invention contemplating the use of indestructible slabs or planks which, like the structural supporting elements, will be transportable from place to place, and which at the same time will greatly enhance the lite of the stations or structures and also materially reduce the initial as well as the up-keep cost thereof. n

The invention and its advantages will be readily comprehended from the following descriptioncoil the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side and end elevation of a coaling station, in perspective, with portions broken away, in order to more, clearly disclose the internal or bin construction.

Fig. 2 is a detail view, in longitudinal section, of one form of my improved structural unit.

Fig. 3 is a detail view, in perspective, of a wall section showing` a modified form of structural unit and a method ot installation.

Fig. l is a similar view disclosing another modified form.

My invention contemplates the provision of storage structures of the nature hereinbefore referred to formed in the most inexpensive manner, that is of the most iuexpensive material, and wherein the various structural elements thereoi2 may be renewed from time to time; the wearreceiving elements or units oit the structure being formed of concrete planks or slabs in transportable form, so that the structure nay be moved to a different location; my improved structure tl ere'fore possessing the advantages of concrete construction without, however, incurring the expense and disadvantages of a monolithic structure.

My invention being especially adapted for use in the construction or" coalingstations employed along railroad right-ofways, its application to such stations has been chosen as an exemplification. Y

As the general construction of the coaling stations,-towit: the coal hoist, charging chute disposed intermediate of the hoistshaft or tower and the bin or hopper, and general arrangement of sand-tank and adjacently placed bins or hoppers, as illustratcd in the drawings-is oi a well lnnown type at present employed by railroad systems, and 'forms no part oi my invention, an elaborate detailed description of the coaling station construction and arrangement will not be entered into, except to an ei:- tent suflicient to enable a clear` understanding or comprehension of the invention being had.

ln the particular exemplilication. the station is illustrated provided`-with the usual hoist-tower orlshaft at l0, in which suitable means are 'arranged for elevating the coal from cars, or other suitable sourcesl of supply, adjacent the bottom of the sha'tt to thn top or" the station,namely to a point preierably somewhat above the coal-storing; bin or hopper, indicated at ll, where the lift or elevating means isinduced to dischai p its supply into a suitable chute, `indicated at l2, whereby the coal is directed into the bin or hopper l1. lnpractice, coaling stations are often provided with a plurality et storage-bins` or hoppers, which are preterably arrangec side by side, with the hoistshalt l0 and the chute l2 arranged so as to .-.ble the coal to be dischargedftoward either side of the median line vertical aXis of the hoist-shaft and into the selected bin or hopper; and for that reason the chute l2 is usually tiltably mounted to permit it tovbe swung to either sine of its pivotal point and thus direct the coal into bins located on opposite sides of the vertical plane of the pivotal point or axis of oscillation of the chute.

The coaling station proper, as well as the hoist-shaft or tower, is usually constructed of wood; timbers and studding of suitable lsizes and number being employed to provide the desired strength and rigidity to maintain the weight of the fuel and material stored in the station and to withstand the wear to which itis subjected.n The tiltable member or chute l2 is usually constructed of wood and provided with a lining of sheet steel. rEhe storage bin or hopper ll is generally provided` with a sloping bottom, as indicated at 13, with the bottom sloping downwardly ltoward one side of the station, namely the track side thereoif, where the locomotive and its tender are placed and charged; suitable means being provided at the discharge opening or outlet of the hopper or bin for controllingthe outi'low oi' coal and also to direct it properly into the tender of the locomotive.

As previously stated', the present practice employed is to construct the side, topv and bottom walls of the hopper or bin oiwooden planks or boards properly secured to the` studding, and then cover the interior, or rather the wooden planlrs or boards with sheet steel. This practice, however, is not only very expensive, due to the cost oi the material, and the time and labor required in the initial installation thereof, but also in the maintenance thereof;

lith my inventiomthe initial cost, as well as the costei maintenance, will be materially reduced andI considerable timeand labor saved, as I propose to construct the bin or hopper oit' lireproof units in `the nature ofV concrete planks or sla-bsof suitable dimensions, reinforcedso as to withstand the wear and strains to which they are subjected'. AS1 disclosedin Fig. l, the concrete planks, indicated atlete, are preferably arranged in juxtaposition, toentendl laterally across adjacently set studding and supporting Jfra-mc members, with the concrete units iny close iitting relation withonc auother'so as to provide suitable joints.

The construction oi the units or slabsy is shown in detail in Fig, and consists of concrete molded into predetermined plank ,lengths and widths which enable the1 easy handling thereof, and at the same time of sutlicient thickness. The uni-ts disclosed in Figs. Yl and 2 are preferably providedwith a plurality ofspacingbars orI metallic members, .the ends whereof are preferably bent substantially at right angles to the main i portion, with all ot theends disposed in the same direction, so asl to provide the somewhat 'tl-shape formation, as shown at in Fig. 2. lhese spacing members or bars 15 may consist ot suitable iron rods preferably arranged with their bent ends in abutting' relation, as shown in Fig. 2, and preferably so embedded in the concrete that the ends will come flush with one side oi the plank, as shown. The number of spacing members employed would be governed by the dimensions out the plank it is desired to torni. The length oit the respective s Jacing members or bars 15 may substantially correspond with or be slightly greater than the distance intervening the studding716 (shown in Fig. 1), so as to bridge the space between the studding. lit the plank is not of too great a width, then a single series or row oit spaong bars 15 may be employed, preferably arranged substantially coincident with the longitudinal center line et the plank. l/Vith the planks arranged laterally in the bin or hopper, it is apparent that where the reinforcing members 15 are arranged, as above described, the out-turned ends or' the reinforcing members or spacing bars 15 will be disposed in abutting relation with the adjacently placed studding 16.

ln addition to the reinforcing members or spacing bars 15, l prefer to provide each plank with reinforcing metallic bars 17 arranged transversely of the plank, namely at right angles to members 15; these reinforcing bars 17 being maintained in their spaced relation, during the molding of the plank, by the reinforcing elements or spacenbars 15; the reinforcing bars 17 being preferably ldisposed in the groove or channel formed by the turned ends of the adjacent spacing members 15, as clearly disclosed in Fig. 2. lt is clearly apparent from the construction shown and described, that the plank is thus reinforced both longitudinally and latorally, thus adapting it to withstand the considerable strains and impacts to which it -is subjected.

ln 3 I illustrate a modified 'form of my improved structural unit shown in the 'form oi a reinforced concrete plank or slab which is reinforced by the embedded wire mesh shown et 20 of a well knownconstruction, with the longitudinal edges of the different units being beveled as shown at 21,

that soli-setting or self-'llorming oints between the respective superimposed units may be formed, which are also of moisture shedding nature; the bevel of the respective units being so arranged that the'slabs or plank 22 tend to remain in close relation with the supportingv members or studding 16. rlhe units, like those described in connection with Figs 1 and 2, are intended to ie molded into slabs or' planks of such dimensions or" length, width and thickness, that they may be readily transported from place to place and adapted to withstand the wear to which they are to be subjected; the units being secured to the frame members or studding in any suitable manner, as for example by suitable screws or bolts, as shown? at 23.

ln Fig. l, I show another modified form of the structural units 2lwhich, ylike the units22'in Fig. 3 and 1li in Figs. `1 'and 2, are intended to be composed of concrete and provided with a reinforcing element, as at 20, embedded therein in a manner similar to Jdia-t disclosed in Fig. 3. The units 24 have their longitudinal edges provided with a dou-l ble bevel, so as to provide an interlocking connection between the respective units and an interlocking moisture-prooi connection; the one longitudinal edge of each slab or plank being beveled outwardly so as to provide the protruding apex portion, as shownat 25, while the oppositelongitudinal edge` of each plank or slab is beveled inwardly so as to provide a groove, as shown at 26, adapted to receive the correlated portion or projection 25 of the adjacent unit or slab.

The units may be secured to the frame members or studding 16 lin any suitable manner; being shown secured in place by means of the yscrew bolts 28.

ln the event that `a portion of the inner wall of the storage chamber Vneed be renewed, because of undue wear, it is evident that this may be accomplished by simply replacing the respective unit or units, and those immediately about them, if the constructions shown in Figs. 3 and 4 are employed, rwithout necessitating a complete dismantling of the structure.

With the storage bin or hopper constructed as herein described, it is evident that a substantially indestructible construction is provided, whereby the dithculties heretofore encountered will be entirely eliminated; yet at the same time, a construction is provided which may be taken down and transported without destroying the structural units which constitute the storage chambers and thereby permitting their reuse, thus 'obviating the necessity of the com plete demolition of the storage structure as would be the case where a monolithic concrete structure had been constructed; and while the construction shown and described is believed to be the best adaptation of the invention, alterations might be made in certain respects without departing from the spirit of my invention.

That I claim is l. .il eenling;` station provided with `a hopper or bin.v comprising a supporting structure composed of wooden frame members spaced apart, a plurality of transportable t ced concrete slabs arranged in abutting` relation transversely of the frame members to constitute the wall of the bin, said slabs being' provided with a series of metallic bars arranged end to end lengthwise ot the units with the ends of the bars bent and all disposed toward one of the sides or" the slabs, said bars being of a length substantially equal to the distance intervening` adjacent frame members, and means disposed through the slabs whereby the latter are removably secured to the frame members.

2. ln a sealing` station provided with a hopper or bin comprising a supporting structure composed of wooden frame members arranged in spaced relation at thek bottom and sides of the hopper, a plurality of transportable reinforced concrete planks of uniform dimensions arranged in abutting relation transversely of the supporting frame members, the edges of said planks being formed to provide compact joints between adjacent planks, and means whereby the planks may be removably secured to the supporting 'frame members.

3. A coaling station provided with a hopper or bin Comprising a supporting strueture composed of wooden frame members arranged in spaced relation at the bottom and sides of the hopper, a plurality of reinforced concrete planks or slabs, of transportable and uniform dimensions arranged in abuttirnrf:- relation transversely of the supportingl frame members, the edges of the planks being formed to provide selfsetting` or self-forming moisture-shedding joints,v and means whereby the planks may be removably secured to the supporting iirame'members.

WALTER fr. KEAUsoH.

lVitnesses:

GEORGE HEIDMAN, F. A. FLORELL. 

